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Meet Randi Zinn – A Community Leader and Amazing Woman!

Randi recently came to us to do an event together, and I was overjoyed. “Yes!” couldn’t have come faster from my mouth.

I have known Randi for a while, and she is one of those people I admire so much for her integrity, depth, thoughtfulness, and intelligence – both personally and in business.  As a writer, Randi has so many interesting thoughts about the intersection of career and motherhood for women in the city.  She has created a supportive community of women  through her brainchild, Beyond Mom, and this community has grown exponentially.  Her emphasis on the importance of health and wellness for “Mom-preneurs” is especially exciting to me.  I am always looking for ways to help and support women in all stages of their lives, especially if I can do that with Randi!

Randi and I will be co-hosting a fitness and wellness event at Athleta on Saturday morning, October 25th, from 8-10am.  I will be teaching a Body Conceptions class with a live DJ.  Randi will follow with a talk encouraging women to cultivate a life “Beyond Mom,” finding their individuality while embracing the gift of motherhood.  You can learn more about this event at www.randizinn.com.  And look out for more events we do together down the road!

I had a chance to ask Randi more about herself and her background here, and I hope you enjoy hearing from her as much as I did.  We need more like her who can help inspire us as women and mothers, and lead by example!!

~Mahri

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1)   Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your business?  How do you describe your work to people?

In many ways I’m a Renaissance woman- I’ve always been involved in the arts (dance, theater, film, writing) and in the recent decade I’ve assumed the role of businesswoman- at first, by random, un-chosen events in my life, and now, by choice. I was a yoga instructor prior having my son and I wanted to take my desire to help people to a new level- from there, I created Beyond Mom- a community for NYC Moms who seek an elevated community of women also growing who they are as individuals, not just Moms. I definitely attract MomPreneurs but also connect with women who are in transition and figuring out what’s next for themselves professionally and personally. Without a doubt, these women all need community, support, and connections so they can best grow themselves professionally and personally.

2)   What made you decide to start your business?  What kinds of professional and life changes brought you here?

I built this community because I saw a need! Women struggle to hold onto who they were pre-baby and to discover who they’ve become post. They battle to find the time to take care of their body and spiritual selves. I also started meeting so many brilliant driven women in places like the playground and I thought to myself, “these women need to know one another!” So I create events that bring women together in a way that is meaningful and inspiring. It’s definitely my own desires to be a healthy, balanced, accomplished woman who is also a Mother that made me realize how many other women also crave this balance- they just don’t always know how to find it. I realized that I have a set of tools that come rather naturally to me- the ways that I keep myself in one solid piece- to me, these practices come fairly naturally but they don’t to many women- I want to share these techniques and concepts so women have a better chance of being happy and therefore better, moms, partners, friends etc. The simple tools to becoming a Beyond Mom make sense for living a happy, balanced life.

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3)   Why do you think it’s important for mom’s to have a community, and why have you focused on “Mommy-preneurs” specifically? Moms share a common understanding- there are certain experiences and dichotomies in the experience that only another Mom can understand- how can you love so intensely and yet so desperately need alone time? How can you be so committed to developing a little child and yet feel totally compelled to build a business? There are certain unspoken understandings that can help a woman not feel crazy as well as feel supported. Women (despite some ancient rumors) are incredibly generous to one another and generally feel very motivated to help one another- if we champion one another, we are a pretty powerful community. Why Mompreneurs? I guess because I am one, so I get it. But also because I think it’s the new feminist movement. We can’t have it all- at least every single day, but I think we can experience it all, maybe different days of the week. Mompreneurs test those boundaries and see how much they can manage. Inherently, we are all a little crazy, a little exhausted, but so very inspiring.

4)  How has your own personal/family life come into all of this?

My personal life is the entire story! My father taught me how to be a visionary, my husband motivated me to own my story and my gifts, and my son reveals our evolving story each day. I think it’s my karma for the men in my life to help me see the woman I am. This makes me very, very blessed.

5)  What is your ultimate professional goal? I imagine the Beyond Mom Movement as a national (and perhaps international) force. Next level events online and offline, product that is reliable and loved, and a mission that supports women to grow, reinvent, and rediscover their own mission. I view myself as the visionary and voice for the movement.

6)   Ok, now let’s talk fitness!  How does fitness fit into your life, both personally and professionally? I have been and always will be a mover! It’s my medicine! Personally, I need my muscles to work and my blood to move to feel grounded and strong, physically and mentally. I’ve really enjoyed developing my repertoire post baby to find activities that feel good, don’t hurt me, and have developed my strength. As I’ve become more toned and strong, my confidence has built. Body Conceptions has been an awesome part of that- Thanks Mahri Relin and Erin West! Professionally, I take it upon myself to not only be a resource for women looking for fitness that works for them, but to encourage Beyond Moms to find movement that they love. I’m convinced that if you don’t move your body, you can’t feel sound in your mind. There’s no rules, only that you find what works for you. I love to inspire women to rediscover their fitness truth post baby- it’s an empowering process.

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7)   How do you choose your workouts?  What advice would you give new, busy mothers on fitting fitness into their lives – and making it part of their lifestyle? Choosing my workouts has been a process! I’ve tried things for a week or even a few months at a time to see how they feel to me and I’ve allowed myself to let something go for something that feels better. I’ve discovered that variety is key for me- if I do weight training one day, I love doing yoga the next. If I do cardio dance one day, I like to spin the next. I think variety challenges your body and your mind, and that’s what keeps it fun.

Without a doubt, it can be tough to fit in your workout but I always tell Beyond Moms- make your workout an indispensible part of your day- calendar it in like you would a conference call. Use the time you have a babysitter or your husband on duty. Moms often feel guilty for taking time out for themselves (yes, I still have those emotions from time to time- so I know how real it is), but I also understand that I am better at everything I do, if I take care of me. So make it important and stick to it.

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8)   What’s one quality about you that very few people know?  It can be anything! I’m pretty honest so I feel like the people that know me, know me pretty well- but let’s see…I’m pretty silly I think. I have a zany, sometimes perverse, sense of humor, but it runs in my family. My son points at me and says, “Mommy, you funny!” and he usually tells me the truth.

9)   Have I missed anything here? And how can women find and become involved with you??

Women can find me in a handful of ways!

My site is www.randizinn.com we have daily content to remind you how to continue going beyond in your own journey of motherhood.

Find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @randizinn

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Marissa Vicario: Teaching Her Clients to be “Holistically Hot…”

Through my work with Body Conceptions, I spend lots of time getting to know the wellness community in the city. I’m always looking for ways to connect our Body Conceptions clients with the best and most respected wellness professionals around (and I’m also always looking for ways to broaden my own horizons!).

Marissa Vicario was one of the first such people I met when I launched Body Conceptions 2 ½ years ago. She caught my attention because she had made a big change in her professional life from working in Public Relations to becoming a health coach. Similarly, I had left a graduate program in clinical neuropsychology to dance in the musical theater world many years ago — and I had never wanted to go back.

Marissa has become known for her articulate advice for women on achieving healthy relationships with food. She works with at-risk families, and she’s a great inspiration to other women looking to change their careers. She’s also a major force in the city’s female entrepreneur community.

It’s my pleasure to introduce Marissa to you now. Enjoy!!
~Mahri

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1) Could you talk a little bit about your work as a health coach? What do you do on a daily basis?

I’m a board-certified health and nutrition coach who helps women change their relationship with food. Through blogging, speaking, my online programs and one on one coaching, I inspire women to deliciously fuel their bodies to turbocharge their health and look their best without resorting to starvation, diets or calorie-counting.

2) Do you only talk to women about food? If not, what else?

Yes, I primarily work with women in the areas of food and nutrition. I also mentor women who want to make career changes like I did. I help them get on the right track to making that change.

3) You are so busy, and you’ve been featured in so many great articles and blogs. How do you find the time to be healthy?

Being healthy is a priority for me. If I don’t take care of myself then I won’t have the energy to do it all. I think there’s a misconception that being healthy has to take a lot of time. It doesn’t; only a commitment. When the commitment is there, you make it happen.

4) What made you decide to get into health coaching?

I’ve always loved fitness and I got to a point where I realized that if I wanted to be fit and healthy, it meant changing how I ate. So I started eating a whole foods diet and it changed everything for me. I was working full time in Public Relations for a tech start-up at the time and everyone on the office was around my age. They were all more interested in what I was eating for lunch everyday than my PR strategy. When I discovered health coaching, I knew that I had found my calling and dream job.

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5) What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love speaking to groups about nutrition and inspiring as many women as possible to make healthy changes. It’s the best feeling in the world to make healthy living accessible to someone who is feeling overwhelmed or offer a new perspective to someone who may be struggling. I also love bringing this work to charity. I work with families in the most at-risk areas of NYC to teach them to make healthier choices.

6) What do you think makes you different from other health coaches?

The honest answer is that I’m me.

7) I always enjoy asking: Is there anything fun or interesting about you that most people don’t know?

At 13, I declared myself a vegetarian. I was a little activist and little did I know was paving my way in the world of food and nutrition early on!

8) How does someone get in touch with you if they want to use your services?

There’s an online form on my web site or email me at .

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Founder of Marissa’s Well-being and Health, Marissa Vicario is a NYC-based board certified health coach and healthy living expert who helps women transform their relationship with food. She shares her health secrets, get-fit tips and the cooking expertise that has inspired countless women to ditch the diet mentality and turbocharge their health to become holistically hot in a way that’s fun and fearless. Click here to download her e-magazine, How to Be Holistically Hot: A 30-Day Guide to Making Men Swoon and Your Friends Want What You Have.

Turn Valentine’s Day Around!!

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Oh, Valentine’s Day… One of those days that’s supposed to make us feel warm and fuzzy – and often leaves us feeling rather prickly instead.  Boo! We can’t help but watch those cheesy Hallmark commercials and yell at the TV, “It NEVER happens like that!”  Well, almost never anyway.  Like most, I hate the movie theater romance pressure.  I mean, I can’t think of many other days of the year I try my best to avoid acknowledging – whether I’m in a relationship or not!

Ok, so I don’t totally hate Valentine’s Day. In fact, I think Valentine’s Day, when stripped of the commercial consumer Hollywood crazy, can be a great day to connect. To celebrate the people in our lives who are really there for us, whether as romantic partners, friends, or co-workers. These are the people who help you feel stronger and happier, who WANT you to succeed, and who really care about both the good and bad things that happen to you. Who love you for every aspect of who you are.

Having said all of this, I will be reflecting upon the connections in my own life and would love for you to do the same.  Grab one or more of those important people and take some time out this week to do some amazing things in the city that truly fulfill you and make you feel good.  Whatever your situation allow yourself to feel great this Valentine’s Day!

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Here are some of my suggestions and personal NYC activity faves:

1) Gotta mention this. We have an awesome promotion with Alex Anthony Salon right now through the end of the month. Grab a friend, come take a Body Conceptions class with us (two for the price of one!) and then head over to Alex Anthony for a chocolate scrub and conditioning treatment. Email me to find out more. (I don’t love using this space to advertise, but this could really constitute a great day that makes you feel good inside and out.)

2) King Spa Sauna. I’ve mentioned this place a few times. Located in Palisade Park, NJ, it’s an oasis of saunas, jacuzzis, beauty and wellness services, and really great food for very low prices. Bring a friend, and pamper yourself without guilt. Don’t have a car? Not a problem! The spa runs regular shuttles from Penn Station.

3) Try Gobo in the West Village. Our favorite destination as a company, Gobo has some of the tastiest vegetarian options I’ve tried. Their breadth of dishes is impressive, and I have yet to meet one of their plates that I didn”t like. My suggestion? Start your meal with their lettuce wraps!

4) B Spa Bar – If you want to give your skin the most amazing treat, you have to try one of Diana Seo’s famous facials. I got one from her last week, and I’m pretty amazed by the results. Her technology is really advanced (something about opening the water channels in skin cells to allow penetration of collagen) but the real test is in the way your skin feels. I’m definitely a convert. This is a great way to revive your skin in this crazy winter weather.

5) Talk. Get together with your great friends and tell them how you feel about them. The winter is hard, and can be really isolating. It makes you – and your friends – feel so good to know how strong your connections really are and that you’ll be there for each other no matter how hard and also how amazing life can become. I am really appreciating this in my own life, and sometimes putting it into words makes all of the difference.

I wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. Enjoy your connections and your pampering this month – and know that spring will be here before you know it. Hang in there!!!

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p.s.  I’m teaching class on Valentine’s Day!  Come to class at Stepping Studios, and have a blast with us!!  Sign up here.

Sweet Potato and Lentils:
Warming and Healing in Winter

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It’s been cold!! This week, I asked Joanie  – one of my instructors and resident health coach – to give me one of her favorite healing winter recipes to help us get through the season. Not only has Joanie’s clients seen amazing results, but her food is also incredibly tasty.  Try this recipe, and you’ll be a happy camper!

~Mahri

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Warming Sweet Potato and Maple Lentils

The winter months are known for bringing on colds, coughs, sneezes and sniffles. That makes it more important than ever to eat healthy, mineral-rich foods to keep your energy up and your immune system strong. This simple recipe is flavorful, packed full of nutrition and warms you up from the inside out.

Ingredients
2 cups dry lentils
1 medium, red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet apple, peeled and diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced small
14-oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2.5 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp regular mustard
1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Rinse and drain lentils. In a large oven-safe pot bring lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring often. Cook until lentils are tender and a majority of the water is absorbed.
2. Add onion, garlic, apple, sweet potato, tomatoes, maple syrup, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to the pot with the lentils. Stir well to combine. Add apple cider vinegar.
3. Cover and bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake for additional 8-12 minutes, uncovered, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Serve over toasted multi-grain bread, whole wheat pita or on a salad of dark, leafy greens.

Makes 4-6 Servings

Joanie Johnson - Certified Pilates instructor, TRX trainer, health coach and trained professional dancer.

For more recipes or information about Motivated Nutrition’s 6-month coaching program, visit www.motivatednutrition.net